By Jay Lloyd

NEW YORK, N.Y. (CBS) -- It was like a bungee-cord bounce in getaway planning.  Getaway seekers were taken on a wild ride in 2014.

Here are some of the highs and lows.

The big blast was an end-of-the-year plunge in gasoline prices.  Great for weekenders heading for shore, mountains, or bay, but too late for the power-boating crowd.

And it didn't tempt the airlines to pass on a bit of the bonanza by lowering fares.

But overseas vacationers did get a big bonus as the US dollar flexed some muscle and made everything from hotels to drinks in a Paris bistro so much cheaper.

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Then there was Scotland, a favorite Philadelphia getaway land that caused us to hold our collective breath while the Scots agonized over splitting from Great Britain.  They didn't.  Golf and single malt are safe.

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But for domestic travelers, it was a year of wild weather, causing grounded, delayed, and canceled flights -- some during the most heavily traveled holiday periods.

So, what's ahead in 2015?  Stay tuned -- and Happy New Year!

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